Powercast Corporation has created a unique cellular-based RF Power-Over-Distance Wireless Charging Platform, built around Sequans Monarch cellular IoT connectivity technology. Powercast will demonstrate the solution at Mobile World Congress in Las Vegas, September 28 – 30, booth w2.1226.

Operating in the lower 600 – 900 MHz frequency bands licensed by mobile carriers, the Powercast cellular-based RF Wireless Charging Platform has unique benefits: Because cellular bands are licensed, or private, they have more flexibility on how much power they can transmit, antenna gain, and bandwidth which enables end devices to charge faster and at greater distances when compared to unlicensed, or public, bands; As cellular service moves increasingly to higher frequencies like 5G to increase data throughput, carriers can monetize their underused low-frequency bands and offer “Power as a Service.”; Ability to simultaneously charge at-a-distance many consumer devices, such as smart home security and automation IoT sensors, TV remotes, keyboards, earbuds, headphones, smart watches, fitness bands, and hearing aids;

The platform combines Sequans’ Monarch 2 GM02S module with a Powercast RF transmitting antenna to send RF over the air to a tiny Powercast PCC110 Powerharvester receiver chip embedded in end devices. The Powerharvester harvests RF out of the air and converts it to DC (direct current) to either power a battery-free device, or charge a rechargeable battery, both of which keep disposable batteries out of landfills.

In the Mobile World Congress demo, a Sequans Monarch 2 cellular modem teams with Powercast’s 700MHz antenna to transmit a 700MHz RF cellular signal to Powercast’s PCC110 receiver and RF-to-DC converter chip, which then powers a battery-free sensor beacon to transmit temperature and humidity data to a gateway or phone.